Peszko missed out on Euro 2012 because of an alcohol-related incident with a taxi driver in Dusseldorf in April for which he was detained by police.

His boss at Cologne, Solbakken called it “unacceptable.”

Peszko had already been in trouble for drunken misbehaviour after a friendly against Australia in Poland in September 2010.

Now Solbakken is in a much more forgiving mood – even making light of his past misdemeanours.

“There are beers and pints in England also though,” he mused.

Is he allowed (to drink)?

“Only one!” added Solbakken.

Peszko looked lively as a second-half substitute at Leeds. Solbakken said: “At his best he is a very good player. He played a decent first half of the season in Germany for me last year but after Christmas he was unlucky because he wasn’t so good.

“He just needs a little bit of match fitness at the moment.

“He did well in the second half and maybe could have done more with a final pass and a final header but that will come. He has the potential to create something for us. He is not a goalscorer but he made a lot of assists for (Lukas) Podolski last year and with a bit more match fitness I think he would have put in some assists as well.

“I think with more match fitness he takes another touch and has a shot instead of trying to play Doyle in while he could also have got the header back in front of goal.

“It was his first game in two months and he only came to us last Friday. He can be satisfied with what he did.”

Solbakken says it will take time for his players to escape from the mental trauma of last season.

“It’s difficult to say after a couple of matches,” he said.

“It’s always something you need to get back with a winning formula when a team hasn’t won many matches last season.

“There’s a mental barrier you’ve to go through when you have won maybe only one game in 26.

“It hasn’t happened today but hopefully we can make it happen against Barnsley. We have two home games and six points to aim for – then it would be a lot easier!”

Solbakken added: “With a new manager and new ideas and the transfer window speculation it is a busy time and we just have to make sure we have a competitive squad.

“The only way to change that mental barrier is to win the first game. You can talk about it a lot but you have to experience that winning feeling again.”